


The Tachibana Curse

by SamCyberCat



Category: Free!
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-08 21:12:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16436867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamCyberCat/pseuds/SamCyberCat
Summary: Just like Makoto before him, Ren couldn't cook a meal to save his life. The embarrassing part is when your older brother is the one who comes to put out the fire started by you trying to fry eggs.





	The Tachibana Curse

**Author's Note:**

> ...And with this teeny tiny oneshot, I've managed to clean out my current oneshot WIPs before I go on holiday, hooray!

The ceiling was blackened with smoke, but that was thankfully the worst damage that had been done to the apartment. This could've been a lot worse and Makoto knew it. As a firefighter, he often had to give people talks about fire safety for their own benefit – schools didn't teach this matter well enough. But there was something different about giving that talk to your younger brother.

Makoto took a deep breath and told himself to stay calm, but his worry was obvious. Ren might be an adult now, but he'd only recently moved out of their parents' house and a kitchen fire wasn't the best way to start that off. Behind them both, the charred remains of what might've been eggs lay smoking on the stove, letting off a terrible pong. Makoto pinched the bridge of his nose to try and block out the smell. Ren looked everywhere except at Makoto.

“How am I going to tell Mom and Dad about this, Ren?” Makoto asked. His voice came out nasally through his pinched nose, so he let it go and braved the stinky eggs before carrying on; “It's only been a week. They still think of you as their little boy. If you're not careful, they'll drag you back home again before you know what's happened.”

Ren bit his lip, fidgeting with his fingers; “You could maybe... not tell them...”

“They're going to notice the smoke stains next time they come over and I'm pretty sure your landlady will let them know, even if you don't,” said Makoto.

“Please... I promise it won't happen again!” Ren begged. He looked up at Makoto through wide, brown eyes; “I just wanted to cook dinner for Hayato, since it's his first day in a new job... Why is cooking so hard? Do you think you could show me how it's done?”

Oh no.

Years of burnt food flashed before Makoto's eyes. Haru's stern face appeared in his imagination, as if the real Haru was reaching across existence to warn Makoto not just against cooking, but against teaching someone else how to cook. As the destroyed eggs smoked away to themselves in the background, Makoto knew that the effect would only be doubled if he tried to show Ren how to cook. A young man having to call the fire brigade for a pan fire was one thing, but trained firefighter having to call for backup because he started a second fire is something else entirely. Makoto couldn't live with the embarrassment if he had to go into work again after that.

“You know I can't do that...” Makoto mumbled.

“The Tachibana curse...” agreed Ren.

The two of them stood in awake silence for a moment. But then, despite the situation, Makoto managed to smile – that was something else the Tachibana family were good at.

“Having said that, years of sucking at cooking has taught me how to clean up after myself very well,” he said, putting a hand on Ren's shoulder, “I'll help you get this place looking brand new in no time – even the stains on the ceiling. You guys might have to order take-out, but at least Hayato will be coming home to a clean apartment. And Mom and Dad won't know any better either – promise.”

“You're the best, Makoto!” Ren cheered.

He dived forward to give Makoto a tight hug. In that moment, Makoto knew that helping out his little brother was worth explaining to his boss why he was late back after this pan fire call-out.


End file.
